Polling for MLC seats begins in Telangana

Polling began for the MLC elections under MLA quota at the Central Hall in the Assembly premises on Tuesday. With Congress boycotting polling and abstaining from voting, election of four TRS MLC candidates and one AIMIM MLC candidate to the Telangana State Legislative Council appears to be a mere formality. The results will be announced after 5 pm today.

Minutes after the polling began at 9 am, TRS MLAs arrived in special buses from Telangana Bhavan. TRS working president and Sircilla MLA KT Rama Rao led the TRS legislators into the Assembly premises. Earlier in the day, the TRS MLAs participated in mock polling at Telangana Bhavan. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and a few other MLAs arrived seperately in their personal vehicle. Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G Sayanna is said



to be ill and is likely to cast his vote later.

In all, four TRS MLC candidates – Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, Seri Subhash Reddy, Satyavathi Rathod and Yegge Mallesham along with AIMIM candidate Mirza Riyaz ul Hasan Effendi are contesting for five MLC seats under MLAs quota. Though Congress candidate Guduru Narayana Reddy is contesting, the Congress party which does not have enough strength to get its candidate elected decided to abstain from voting.

All the MLC candidates were allotted specific number of MLA voters who were cautioned not to commit any mistake and cast their votes to the allotted candidate on Tuesday. Two Ministers were attached to each MLC candidate to coordinate with the MLA voters and get the votes polled accordingly.